Milwaukee Area Technical College plans to expand the welding facilities at three of its locations in the next three years to extend its training capacity.

The Waukesha County Business Alliance and First Business Bank will host Workforce: The 2013 Priority on Wednesday, December 12, from 7 to 9:30 a.m. at the Milwaukee Marriott West, W231N1600 Corporate Court in Waukesha.

U-Line, a Milwaukee-based manufacturer of premium built-in under-counter ice making, refrigeration and wine preservation products, has signed an importer agreement with Showtime Essential Kitchen Products, a premium distributor and service provider located in Celbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland.

Milwaukee-based Brady Corp. reported fiscal first quarter net income of $27.2 million, or 53 cents per share, down from $32.7 million, or 62 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

Racine-based Johnson Outdoors Inc. announced it has closed on its acquisition of Jetboil Inc., the world's No. 1 brand of outdoor cooking systems.

The Wisconsin economy is expanding at a somewhat sluggish pace and has struggled to gather any sustained momentum given declining factory activity, according to the State Monitor report released today by BMO Capital Markets Economics.

Grafton-based Kapco Inc., which is projecting 20-percent annual sales growth in each of the next several years, is launching a new initiative to expand its vendor base and augment its growth.

Blackthorne Partners Ltd., a Mequon-based private equity firm, announced it has acquired Berlon Industries, a Hustisford-based manufacturer of buckets and attachments for skid loaders, telehandlers and compact utility tractors.

The Medical College of Wisconsin's board of trustees has authorized its leadership to begin contract negotiations to establish new program site locations in the Green Bay and central Wisconsin regions for the college's community-based medical education programs.

Heartland Financial USA Inc., the parent company of Madison-based Wisconsin Bank & Trust, announced today it has closed on the purchase of First Shares Inc. (FSI), parent company of First National Bank of Platteville.

The Wellness Council of America (WELCOA), with its local affiliate, the Wellness Council of Wisconsin, recently presented 11 additional recipients of the Well Workplace Award in Wisconsin for 2012.

In September at the National Governors Association meeting, a 12-point action plan was launched to focus on growing state economies. Eight of the 12 action steps related to building and expanding an entrepreneurial culture. Why? Because startup firms that develop organically have a major, long-term impact on strengthening the overall state economy, specifically in creating new jobs.